If all it takes to build robust TV ratings is a warm demeanor, heavy doses of modesty and zesty passion, Arsenio Hall should be a rousing success in his return to the late-night scene.

I've experienced a pair of Hall's promotional efforts in recent weeks -- a media panel session at the TV critics press tour and a conference call with reporters. In both cases, he poured on the bubbly charm.

During the call, he'd typically greeted someone on the line with a cheery "What's up, dog?" or "Hey, buddy" before delivering a thoughtful, expansive answer, all while assuring us that he doesn't "fake the funk."

His energy was so refreshing that you practically wanted to pump your fist in the air and unleash a hearty, "Woof! Woof! Woof!"

Yeah, that Arsenio. You remember him, right? In the early 1990s, he brought a hipster attitude and a loose, lively sensibility to late-night television. He chatted up everyone from Mariah Carey to Snoop Dogg. Bill Clinton tooted his sax on his show, and NBA legend Magic Johnson opened up about his stunning HIV-positive diagnosis.

Then, just like that, Hall was gone. And for nearly 20 years, he was pretty much missing in action, except for an occasional TV gig, including last year's triumphant run on "Celebrity Apprentice."

Now, at 57, he's moving back behind the desk for another late-night shot -- minus the big hair and shoulder pads -- and he gets giddy just thinking about Monday's opener.

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"Basically, when I walk out there that night, imagine seeing a woman that you loved," he says. "The woman that got away -- the only woman you've ever loved. That's who I'll see when I walk out that night."

"The Arsenio Hall Show" is a nationally syndicated gabfest that will play across a variety of stations, and at different times, depending on the market. He's reluctant to reveal a complete guest list for the opening night and week because he wants to make it a "cavalcade of surprises." But he insists it won't be boring.

"When you come back after (being away) this long, I don't think you can just pretend like it was a real long weekend," he says. "I think you've got to party."

The late-night landscape has vastly changed since Hall was leading the Dog Pound cheers. His good pal Jay Leno is on his way out after a long run at the top, and the two Jimmys -- Kimmel and Fallon -- are making their marks.

Even the typical late-night guest list is different. Back in the day, Hall was known for highlighting the work of black entertainers, and his couch was open to hip-hop artists and athletes -- people not usually seen on the other shows.

"I'm not in it so much alone as I used to be," he says, pointing out that he happened to catch an installment of the "Late Show With David Letterman" that featured Jay Z and Eminem.

"There was a time when I would say that would be the dream 'Arsenio Hall Show.' ... It was incredible," he recalls. "And that shows how the lines are blurred now."

Hall also enters a highly fragmented media landscape. Late-night ratings, for everyone, aren't as impressive as they used to be, and capturing those highly coveted younger viewers is more difficult than ever because they have a multitude of entertainment options.

"If (the show) attracts young people, great," he says. "If it even attracts a 31-year-old, that would be amazing, because right now, we can't get them off the iPads and away from Xbox."

Hall's show will feature comedy, music and celebrity appearances. He says he'd love to have President Obama on, but says, "I'm not sure if there is anything he could do on a late-night show anymore. Even his wife has done the Dougie."

On his approach to the show, Hall insists he possesses no "sense of entitlement or arrogance." He doesn't think of himself as the returning veteran, but as the untested rookie.

"I'm not coming in complacent. I can't do that," he says. "I've got to go grind and get my hustle on. ... I'm the new guy, and I'm coming to get mine."

NETFLIX WHIFFS WITH 'DEREK'

Netflix has been praised for its first wave of original programs, including "House of Cards," "Orange Is the New Black" and "Arrested Development." So you had to figure that, sooner or later, the Internet streaming service would produce a real dud.

That dud is "Derek," a new seven-episode comedy starring Ricky Gervais that makes for cringe-worthy viewing -- and not in a good, "The Office" kind of way.

Gervais plays Derek Noakes, a childlike care worker at a nursing home who enjoys YouTube animal videos and has an unrequited crush on the woman who runs the place. He's awkward and goofy, but has a good heart.

When the series debuted in Britain, Gervais was slammed by some for mocking mentally disabled people, a claim he disputed. But even if you don't find the portrayal insulting, "Derek" just isn't that good.

Like "The Office," it's filmed in mockumentary style -- an approach that is growing stale. Unlike "The Office," which made great use of even its most minor characters, "Derek" turns the nursing-home residents into props. And while "Derek" has some touching moments, it's mostly a slow, unfunny slog.

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